Granizo
In short
Granizo is the Spanish word for hail, which refers to small balls or lumps of ice that fall from the sky during a storm.
In plain words
When clouds get very cold and turbulent, water droplets freeze into ice. These ice chunks fall to the ground instead of rain. They can range from tiny grains to large stones.
A simple example
A sudden summer thunderstorm drops ice pellets the size of marbles. These pellets bounce off car roofs and garden furniture.
Why it matters
Large hail can cause serious damage to crops, vehicles, and buildings. It is a significant weather hazard for farmers and homeowners alike.
Easy to mix up
It is often confused with sleet, which is a mixture of rain and partially melted ice.